ETO’O VS. BRYS: IS INTERNAL CHAOS SABOTAGING CAMEROON’S AFCON HOPES
With two rival squads named and superstars like Andre Onana sidelined, can Cameroon overcome institutional chaos to win AFCON?
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Few teams arrive at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations with as much drama surrounding them as Cameroon.
Once a dominant force in African soccer, the Indomitable Lions' preparation for the tournament in Morocco has been overshadowed by power struggles, coaching changes, and squad controversies, threatening to derail their chances before they even take the field.
In the weeks leading up to the AFCON, Cameroon has been dealing with a major internal conflict. Marc Brys, a Belgian coach appointed by the Ministry of Sport, publicly rejected his dismissal, even though the president of FECAFOOT, Samuel Eto’o, had declared him fired back in April 2024.
Brys argued that he hadn't received official notice of his termination from the president. He insisted that he was still the head coach and submitted his own squad list, including stars like Andre Onana and Vincent Aboubakar, before the AFCON deadline.
At the same time, FECAFOOT appointed David Pagou as the new coach and announced a 28-man squad that excluded big names like Onana and Aboubakar, along with other experienced players.
This has resulted in two different squads and no clear leadership as the tournament approaches. The situation has drawn the government in and caused an uproar in the media, with accusations of mismanagement and vendettas.
Big Names Left Out
The absence of certain players is hard to ignore. Andre Onana, the Manchester United goalkeeper currently on loan at Trabzonspor, is one of Africa's most well-known goalkeepers, but he's been left out of Pagou's squad.
The exclusion of Vincent Aboubakar, Cameroon's longtime captain and a key goal scorer, is particularly controversial.
Some reports suggest that internal politics, possibly related to Eto’o’s legacy as Cameroon’s all-time top scorer, may have influenced the decision to drop Aboubakar, who is close to breaking that record.
Experienced players like Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa (injured) and Michael Ngadeu are also missing, leaving a squad with a mix of up-and-coming talents and overseas-based professionals like Bryan Mbeumo and Carlos Baleba.
A History of Problems
Cameroon's decline from being a top team in Africa has been happening for a while.
Despite being a historically great soccer nation and the first African team to reach a World Cup quarter-final, the Indomitable Lions have struggled to maintain consistency.
Although Cameroon has appeared in the most World Cups out of any African country (8 times), they have missed the last three tournaments, including the 2026 FIFA World Cup, after losing to DR Congo in the qualifiers. Each failure has damaged the reputation that once made Cameroon a feared opponent.
At the AFCON, their success since their surprising win in 2017 has been inconsistent. They were knocked out in the round of 16 in both 2019 and 2023, which was disappointing for a team with five titles.
However, they had a brief resurgence at the 2021 AFCON on home soil, finishing third with the help of strong support and moments of individual brilliance.
As a result, Cameroon enters AFCON 2025 not as a favourite, but as a team with a rich history that's capable of upsetting strong opponents if they can regain momentum and confidence.
Echoes of 2017: Can Chaos Help?
There is a past example of Cameroon overcoming internal problems. In the 2017 AFCON, despite facing challenges, the Lions managed to win the tournament, defeating Egypt 2-1 in the final.
Back then, coach Hugo Broos made bold decisions and enforced discipline after several players—Joel Matip, Alan Nyom, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, Guy N’Dy Assembé, Maxime Poundjé, Andre Onana, André-Frank Zambo Anguissa, and Ibrahim Amadou—were unavailable for selection.
There are similarities between Broos in 2017 and Pagou in 2025. Like Broos, Pagou lacks experience coaching a national team and is stepping into a situation where several big-name players are missing.
Broos was an outsider who inherited a young squad that many thought had been weakened by withdrawals.
Instead, he saw an opportunity. By enforcing clear rules, demanding discipline, and changing the team's mentality, Broos turned a divided group into a united team that defied expectations to win the AFCON.
Pagou is now in a similar position. He's a respected figure in Cameroon's domestic soccer scene, taking charge during turmoil and political tension.
His squad is young, with fewer egos and a lot of hunger to succeed. This situation once worked to Broos’ advantage. Known for his structure, discipline, and ability to manage players, Pagou has what it takes to build team unity quickly.
Like in 2017, success may depend more on unity and clear roles than on star power.
Tough Road Ahead in Group F
Cameroon's path will be challenging. Drawn into Group F with the defending champions, Ivory Coast, Gabon, and Mozambique, the Lions must beat strong opponents to advance.
Without clear leadership and with key players missing, they may struggle. However, Mbeumo's skill and Baleba's energy provide some hope.
If Pagou can create unity and get the most out of his squad, a good run is possible—but winning the title will depend on quickly resolving the team's internal issues.
It remains to be seen whether Cameroon’s problems will lead to unity or weigh the team down.
As the tournament in Morocco approaches, one thing is clear: Cameroon’s story will be one of the most interesting and unpredictable of the competition.
THOMAS TUCHEL NAMES EXPANDED ENGLAND SQUAD FEATURING FOUR SURPRISE NEW INCLUSIONS
Thomas Tuchel hands maiden England call-ups to James Garner and Jason Steele while omitting Trent Alexander-Arnold.
James Garner from Everton and Brighton’s goalkeeper Jason Steele have earned their first call-ups to the England squad. Alongside them, AC Milan’s defender Fikayo Tomori and Tottenham’s forward Dominic Solanke have also been included. However, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Luke Shaw did not make the cut this time.
Jude Bellingham, despite being sidelined since early February due to a hamstring injury, is still part of the squad. Experienced centre-back Harry Maguire, now 33, has the chance to add to his 64 caps, while 20-year-old Kobbie Mainoo, who started in the Euro 2024 final, is also selected. Both last represented England in September 2024 but have been rewarded for Manchester United’s recent good form, which has lifted them to third place in the Premier League.
Luke Shaw, pushing for inclusion, has been overlooked once again. Instead, Tuchel has called up Newcastle’s Lewis Hall, marking his first call-up since Tuchel took over.
This squad is larger than usual, with players arriving in two phases during the international window. Tuchel explained on the Football Association’s website that the first group includes players who haven’t played much recently, aiming to broaden competition for spots in the upcoming US tour. Then, from Friday to Saturday, another group will join, including some who’ve had a short rest, to mix things up for the match against Japan.
England will face Uruguay at Wembley on March 27, followed by a home game against Japan on March 31. Looking ahead, the World Cup kicks off on June 11 in Canada, Mexico, and the United States, with England considered among the contenders.
Here’s the full squad breakdown:
Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), James Trafford (Manchester City), Aaron Ramsdale (Newcastle), Jason Steele (Brighton)
Defenders: Dan Burn (Newcastle), Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace), Lewis Hall (Newcastle), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Tino Livramento (Newcastle), Harry Maguire (Manchester United), Nico O’Reilly (Manchester City), Jarell Quansah (Bayer Leverkusen), Djed Spence (Tottenham), John Stones (Manchester City), Fikayo Tomori (AC Milan)
Midfielders: Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), James Garner (Everton), Jordan Henderson (Brentford), Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa), Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace)
Forwards: Jarrod Bowen (West Ham), Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Leeds), Eberechi Eze (Arsenal), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Noni Madueke (Arsenal), Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Marcus Rashford (Barcelona), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Dominic Solanke (Tottenham)
WHY CAF STRIPPED SENEGAL OF THEIR AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS TITLE
Following a final walk-off, Senegal has lost its AFCON trophy in the boardroom, prompting an appeal to CAS by the FSF.
Moussa Niakhate finally spoke out after the Confederation of African Football’s shocking decision to take Senegal’s Africa Cup of Nations trophy away. After that wild walk-off in the final against Morocco, CAF backed an appeal and handed the host nation a 3-0 win by default. Senegalese players were furious; who wouldn’t be?
The boardroom decision completely flipped African football on its head. Two months after the final, the CAF Appeal Board tossed out Senegal’s victory and gave Morocco the win. It all started deep into stoppage time when VAR gave Morocco a penalty. Pape Thiaw, Senegal’s manager, lost it and told his players to leave the field. Eventually, they came back and finished the match. Still, officials said the walk-off broke tournament rules, so they took the title away. Brutal.
Niakhate, the 30-year-old defender who was key in Senegal’s backline, got asked about it before Lyon’s Europa League match with Celta. He’d already posted a photo with his medal and the trophy right after the ruling. He made it clear: nothing a boardroom says can erase what happened on the pitch. He said, “Out of respect for the club and with the crucial match in mind, I don’t want to go into too much detail. You saw my reaction on social media; it’s the same today. What I can say is that nothing has changed for me compared to what we went through in January. I’ll have time to talk about it again in due course; for now, I’m going to stay focused on Lyon.”
That final in Rabat was pure chaos, even before Senegal won 1-0 on the field. Most players followed Thiaw down the tunnel, but Sadio Mane stayed, urging his teammates to come back. Brahim Diaz took the penalty but tried a Panenka, and Edouard Mendy caught it easily. The game went to extra time, Papa Gueye scored, and Senegal thought they were champions again. It didn't matter; the walk-off cost them everything. The committee called it a 3-0 forfeit.
It’s harsh for a team that believed they’d gone back-to-back. Niakhate, who started six out of seven games, is now focusing on Lyon’s European campaign. Still, that boardroom drama isn’t going away, not with the international break coming up. Senegal’s already planning to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
